Oracular wheel or center-table



UNITE Y WM.

O. GEORGE, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

ORACULAR WHEEL 0R CENTER-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 14,910, dated May Q0, 1856.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. GEORGE, of the city of Richmond, in the county of Henrico, in the State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful table constructed upon a new and useful plan designed for use in the parlor and at other places and so adapted as to contrive for the pleasant passing of the hours of company in a novel and interesting manner, which is done by means of a new, peculiar, and useful method or game, of which your petitioner is likewise the inventor, which game is performed with the said table and the accompanying checks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the said table, game, and checks and of my said invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon.

Figure l is a perspective view, Fig. 2, a longitudinal elevation; Fig. 3, a transverse section; Fig. 4, the movable top; Fig. 5, the revolving wheel containing the movable drawers; Fig. 6, the frame of the table secured to the pillar in which the revolving wheel with drawers works; Fig. 7 is an under view of revolving wheel; Fig. a, Fig. b and Fig. o, are views of top, section, and perspective of the movable drawers in revolving wheel, and Fig. Zis a view of the ivory checks used in connection with the table.

The construction of this invention is as follows: The top of the table Fig. 4 is so constructed as. to be taken off, having on the outer edge an opening at a, sufficiently large to admit the hand, with a lid nicely fitted and hinged to the same, as is shown in Fig. 1, 2, 3 and 4, or the opening may have a slide, to slide in and out. Vithin the table,-f. c., under the top Fig. 4 and 3-is the wheel, Fig. 5, revolving on a pivot, Fig. 3, at b, and in the frame on pillar, c, Fig. 6. This wheel, Fig. 5, is turned by placing the v hand under the table behind notches, d, in

cally on each front lid, with the exception of one, which has on it the letter N, intended for neutral. The number of boxes f, Fig. 5, depends entirely upon the size of the wheel, Fig. 5. The boxes j', Fig. 5, are made separate from the wheel Fig. 5, in Fig. 3 at g, so as to be lifted in and out. In the lid to the rear apartment of boxes f, Fig. 5, there is a slot or hole, l1., Fig. 3, 5, a, b, and c, sufficiently large to admit the checks, Figs. d,

' which accompany the table. The top of the table, Fig. 4, is so constructed as to be taken ofl and the boxes, f, Fig. 5 and Fig. c, taken out. The wheel, Fig. 5, can be lifted out from the frame, Fig. 6 and Fig. 3. In the center of the wheel Fig. 5, and Fig. 3, there is a circular compartment, z', for keeping the the checks Figs. d. The checks, Figs. (Z, can be made either of ivory bone, wood or any other substance that will answer the purpose of a check, and can be made of any desired form, or are marked as fancy may suggest, either alphabetically or in any other way, provided they are made in such form, or marked in such manner as to identify all the checks belonging to any one box. The checks belonging to the different boxes should be made in different forms or marked in different ways, so as to distinguish those in one box from those in another box, and

there should be as manychecks of the same form, or with the same letter or marks on them, for each box, as there may be boxes in the wheel, represented in the drawing by Fig. 5. For instance if the wheel, Fig. 5, contains twelve boxes, (then not more than eleven persons can play at one sitting, there being but one box allowed for each person, the twelfth or neutral box being distinct or for the benefit of the whole party of players,) and if the checks have alphabetical marks on them, then there will be eleven checks with the letter A, eleven with the letter B, eleven with the letter C, eleven with the letter D, eleven with the letter E, eleven with the letter F, eleven with the letter G, eleven with the letter H, eleven with the letter I, eleven with the letter J, and eleven with the letter K. Or if the checks have other than alphabetical marks on them then there will be eleven checks with the same kind of marks on them, eleven other checks with the same kind, eleven other checks, &c. In fixing the checks in the boxes before the commencement of the game it is immaterial which of the eleven boxes (the neutral not being included) the checks are placed in so that not less than eleven with the same letter or marks on them are placed in a box. If less than eleven persons sit down to play, then they need only use so many of the checks to each box as there are persons about to play, but should more than eleven wish to play the game they must in that case either use a larger table with a larger wheel containing a greater number of boxes than Fig. 5 contains, with a greater number of checks or divide the company into two or more parties, and have two or more games, so thatreach party can play a game. The number of checks, Figs. d, depending entirely upon the number of boxes Fig. c, and f in Fig. 5, &c, but there should always be as many checks,

Figs. CZ, for each box f, Fig. 5, with the same letter or marks on them as there are boxes, the N, or neutral box, j, Fig. 5, excepted. This table Fig. l, can be made of any size, with a small or greater number of boxes in the wheel, Fig. 5. And the wheel, Fig. 5, can be placed in or adapted to almost any piece of furniture but seems to suit best the form of a center table. The rear apartment to the drawers can have a lock and key placed on them if required.

The operation of this table with the assistance of the checks is as follows: If, A, a gentleman, and B, a lady, are playing at this game, and A is in love with B, and wishes to know whether B is in love with him, then A will play to catch B; if B returns the love of A and plays to catch A then .A and B will ascertain the fact that they played to catch each other at the same moment, which isv done without any verbal or written communication between them, and without its being known to the other players. But if B does not return the love of A then A is aware that B did not play to catch him, and consequently it is presumable would not be in love with him, while B is unaware of As play to catch her. And vice versa, that is to say if B, a lady, is pleased with A, a gentleman, and wishes to ascertain whether A is n love with her, then she plays to catch A. If she succeeds in catching A, then A and B will ascertain the fact at the same moment, without its being known to others. But if A does not return Bs love, then B knows that A did not play to catch her, and consequently was not in love with her, while A is perfectly unconscious of Bs play to catch him, and of its failure. Paradoxical as this may seem, yet

nothing is more clear and simple than this game, when perfectly understood, and which is performed as follows:

The table is placed in a room where there is a company of unmarried persons of both sexes. Suppose by way of illustration that a game with this table is proposed to be played, and assented to by the company. Some one then arranges the checks in the front part or apartment of the boxes so that they are positive that all those in a box are of thev same kind, that is to say have the same letter or Inarks en them, and there should be as many checks put in each box the neutral excepted as there are persons playing, and it depends upon the number of boxes in the wheel as to how many persons can play at a time. The person who places the checks then retires from the room until the game is over. A sheet of writing paper is now placed upon the table, upon which are written the names of the ladies and gentlemen that wish to engage in the play; oppos' to each name is written the numb of a box, thus assigning one box to each player. The game now commences. The rst on the list goes to the table; and if a gentleman, looks on the paper and finds his own name opposite to which he sees the number of his box; he now turns the wheel until he comes to his box, raises the lid and takes out a check from the front apartment; he then looks on the paper again and finds his lady loves name, opposite to which he sees the number of her box, when he slips his check in the rear apartment, and takes out one from the front, which he holds concealed in his hand, taking care to turn the wheel before he leaves the table, to `revent discovery. Thuseach player roc s until all have played. The top o the table is then raised or lifted off, when each one takes out his or her own box, and examines the contents of the rear apartment. If a gentleman, and he finds there a check corresponding with the one held in his hand, he will at onceknow that it must have been placed there by his lady love (meaning the lady he played toxcatch) and no one else, as no one else has a similar check in their box, while the lady if she played to catch the same gentleman, at thevsame moment discovers that the one vin the rear apartment of her box corresponds with the one taken from her lovers. Thus it follows as a matter of course, or is at any rate presumable that they must be mutually pleased, as they played to catch each other. But if'the gentleman finds in the rear apartment`r of his box a check not corresponding withthe one held in his hand, he of course cannot tell from whence it came, nor who placed it there, as he has only had the privilege of going into one box besides his own, and of course knows not the contents of the other boxes; all he knows is that the person he played to catch did not play to catch him. If a lady finds in the rear apartment of her box a check different from the one taken from the gentlemans, she will know at once that it was not placed there by him, as he Y has no such check but cannot toll imm whence it came; all she knows is that he did not play to catch her, and consequently did not wish to catch her. The game may be shortened by some ones taking a check from the front apartment of each players box without looking at it, and handing the check to the owner of the box before the game commences. It will save the necessity of each player going into his or her own box, as they will thus know the contents and have one of the checks to play with. Those persons not disposed to play to catch any one, can play into the neutral box. The checks should always be thrown into a pile so soon as the game is over. In playing, each player takes care that no one discovers whose name on the list his eyes are fixed on, or whose box is entered, but enough of the players actions should be seen to prevent going into more than one box besides his or her own. The attempt to use the checks of another instead of ones own would only produce confusion without gainingV information.

Having thus described the nature, construction and operation of my invention for the pleasant passing of the hours of company in a novel and interesting manner, as well as for other useful purposes, what I claim as new and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The said table, called the oracular wheel, or unique center table, in combination with the game called the game of equality, together with the above mentioned checks.

2. The said table, game and checks being fully described in the specification and shown in the drawings in Figs. l, 2, 3, il, 5, 6 and 7 and Figs. a, Z), c, and d, with the exception that I do not claim those parts which if taken separately are well known, and those parts which are common to the usual round center table, nor do I claim that checks are new and of my own invention, what I claim as new and of my own invention in regard to these checks is their application in this particular way and for this particular purpose and the method of arrangement of them in combination with the table and game, by which particular effects are produced, or certain results arrived at, substantially as represented and set forth.

W. O. GEORGE.

Witnesses:

JOHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD, E. G. HANDY. 

